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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. mug — a cup
  3. present — the time now
  4. bound — certain
  5. root — of a plant
  6. root — of a word
  7. bound — obliged
  8. fine — high quality
  9. present — there
  10. mug — a face
  11. rash — a series
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pound — a weight
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. fine — all right
  17. mug — to rob
  18. present — a gift
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. bound — tied together
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. root — the cause
  24. rash — hasty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com